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TWU faculty member and former student appointed Trudeau Mentors

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation announced the appointment of Paul Kariya, Ph.D., and Chuck Strahl as Trudeau Mentors. Strahl, a former Federal Cabinet Minister who studied at TWU, and Kariya, a faculty member in TWU’s MA Leadership program, are among a group of ten accomplished Canadians from diverse backgrounds that will personally mentor Trudeau scholars—promising doctoral students who have been identified as future leaders.

Trudeau mentors are selected from among eminent Canadian practitioners in all sectors of public life, from the creative arts to business, and from public service to social activism. They are nominated by the members of an extensive nomination network, after which an independent peer-review panel screens the applications and suggests a list of mentors to the Foundation’s board of directors for approval.

“It’s humbling and an honour to be selected,” said Kariya, “The scholars are absolutely amazing young people who will make a difference in their respective academic fields. I will mentor two scholars—one has already quizzed me about being a Christian and what that means to my perspective on social science.”

In addition to sharing their extensive knowledge and experience, the Trudeau mentors will help accelerate the careers of the Trudeau scholars by introducing them to valuable professional and social networks. “The transfer of knowledge and experience from current leaders to future leaders has never been more important than it is now, and the Trudeau Mentorship Program addresses this need by creating remarkable pairings that collaborate for up to three years,” said Pierre-Gerlier Forest, president of the Foundation. “By connecting Trudeau scholars with highly accomplished Trudeau mentors, we aim to nurture, test, and activate concrete solutions to issues of major societal importance to Canadians.”

Chuck Strahl, who attended TWU in 1990, served as federal Minister of Agriculture, Indian and Northern Affairs, and Transport and Infrastructure. He remains engaged in current affairs, offering commentary on political issues and working as a consultant on political, governmental, and business strategies. This past November, Strahl visited TWU to speak with students about faith, family, and politics.

Involved in Aboriginal and environmental issues, Kariya is the executive director of the Independent Power Producers of BC. He previously held various governmental positions in fisheries and oceans and was the executive director of the Pacific Salmon Foundation from 2002 to 2008. Kariya serves on the board of A Rocha, an international Christian environmental organization, and is an adjunct faculty member in TWU’s MA Leadership program.

About the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation

A Canadian institution with a national purpose, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation is an independent and non-partisan charity. It was established in 2001 as a living memorial to the former prime minister by his family, friends, and colleagues. In 2002, the Government of Canada endowed the Foundation with a donation of $125 million with the unanimous support of the House of Commons. In addition, the Foundation benefits from private sector donations in support of specific initiatives. Through its Scholarship, Fellowship, Mentorship, and Public Interaction Programs, the Foundation supports outstanding individuals who make meaningful contributions to critical social issues.